City map Mumbai (Bombay)

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Mumbai (Bombay) – a brief overview

Delhi may have the political power, but Mumbai has the glamour. India’s capital of finance, fashion and entertainment is fast-paced and frenetic, always bold, often brash, but never forgettable. A staggering 12.5 million people call this city home, from the dhobi-wallahs (laundry men) who clean the city’s sheets to millionaire financiers and Bollywood superstars.

Sprawling across a series of islands in the Arabian Sea, Mumbai is tipped to be the world’s largest city within 20 years. Travellers can find everything imaginable here, from colonial mansions and ancient cave temples to gleaming modern shopping malls and even a national park inside the city limits. Welcome to India’s maximum city!

Top 10 sights in Mumbai (Bombay)

Gateway of India

Strand Road, Apollo Bunder 400001 Mumbai India Show on map

The triumphal arch that dominates Colaba quayside was erected to celebrate the visit of King George V and demonstrate the unassailable power of the British Empire. Ironically, this monumental arch also marked the point where the last British soldiers departed when India achieved independence in 1948.

Girgaum Chowpatty Beach

Marine Drive 400004 Mumbai India Show on map

A dramatic clean-up has restored Chowpatty Beach to its rightful place as the city’s favourite place to promenade. Order a paper plate of bhelpuri, Mumbai’s famous noodle salad, and join the crowds strolling over the sand and enjoying the cool breezes as the sun sinks into Back Bay.

Elephanta Island

Studded with cave temples adorned with dramatic rock carvings of Hindu deities, this dusty island in Mumbai Harbour could be plucked straight from Sinbad the Sailor. The largest temple features a vast carving of Shiva as Trimurti-Sadashiva, the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum

Named for the Maratha warrior who vanquished the sultans of southern India, Mumbai’s most important museum is housed in a lavish Indo-Saracenic building from 1923. Inside, the exhibition halls display everything from ancient temple carvings to miniature paintings and gruesome medieval weaponry.

University of Mumbai and High Court

Dominated by the Rajabai Clocktower, and flanked by an arcade of palm trees, the handsome University of Mumbai was built by George Gilbert Scott, the same architect who designed London’s St Pancras station. The adjacent High Court was constructed in the same lavish architectural style and visitors are welcome in the public gallery during trials.

Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue

This graceful 19th-century synagogue is a flashback to the golden age of the port of Mumbai, when the city’s Jewish community dominated the international trade in cotton, spices, tea and porcelain. The synagogue is still an active place of worship and the calm interior offers a welcome retreat from the crowded street of the business district.

Global Vipassana Pagoda

Soaring above the suburb of Gorai and the Esselworld Theme Park, this gleaming golden spire was modelled after the great Shwedagon stupa in Myanmar. The pagoda is an important centre for Vipassana meditation, and the main meditation hall sits beneath the world’s largest unsupported stone dome.

Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum

Set in a graceful colonial mansion in the peaceful Jijimata Gardens, the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum explores the complex history of Mumbai, from its early days as a fishing village to its modern status as the financial and entertainment capital of India. It’s worth visiting just to see the elegant Victorian interiors.

Haji Ali Dargah

Only accessible at low tide, via a wave-lashed causeway stretching out into the bay, the dargah (mausoleum) of Haji Ali is dedicated to a local Sufi saint who died en route to Mecca but was miraculously washed ashore in Mumbai. The shrine is crammed with pilgrims whenever the causeway is open, and atmospheric qwwalis (Islamic hymns) resound across the compound.

Victoria Terminus

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Fort 400001 Mumbai India Show on map

Also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai’s central railway station is a flamboyant fantasy of gargoyles, balconies, buttresses and onion domes. Carved inside and out with eccentric details (monkeys, parrots, palm trees and fruit baskets), the station was designed by Frederick Stevens, the British Empire’s finest colonial architect.

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Country information

Country overview

India is a beautiful and bamboozling place, where holy cows amble along the streets, bask on heavenly beaches

next to modern hotels and where ancient temples sit perfectly at home besides shiny new offices.

Geography

India shares borders to the northwest with Pakistan, to the north with China, Nepal and Bhutan, and to the east with Bangladesh and Myanmar. To the west lies the Arabian Sea, to the east the Bay of Bengal and to the south the Indian Ocean. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are Indian territory but lie off the coast of Thailand in the Bay of Bengal. Sri Lanka lies off the southeast coast, and the Maldives off the southwest coast.

The far northeastern states and territories are all but separated from the rest of India by

Bangladesh as it extends northwards from the Bay of Bengal towards Bhutan.

India is separated from the rest of Asia by mountain ranges, forest, and desert -the Himalayan mountain range in the north, the Thar Desert in the west and the Chin Hills and Patkai ranges in the east. The Indus River runs through the northern disputed territory of Jammu & Kashmir. The most sacred of rivers, the Ganges, is in the east.

General knowledge

Key facts

Population: 1,34 billion (estimate 2017)

Population Density (per sq km): 371

Capital: New Delhi.

Language

Hindi is the official language of India. English is also enshrined in the constitution for a wide range of official purposes. In addition, 21 regional languages are recognised by the constitution.

Currency

Notes: In November 2016, 500 and 1,000 rupee banknotes were withdrawn from the financial system. New 500 and 2,000 rupee denomination notes are issued to replace those removed from circulation. The import and export of local currency is prohibited.

Electricity

230-240 volts AC, 50Hz. Some areas have a DC supply. Plugs are of the round two- and three-pin type.

Public holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2019 – December 2020 period.

Note

Only the secular holidays of Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday are universally observed.

(a) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last up to several days, depending on the region.

(b) Hindu festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is not possible to forecast the date of their occurrence exactly.

Nightlife in Mumbai (Bombay)

ListMap

As the entertainment capital of India, Mumbai boasts bars, cocktail lounges and clubs to match any international capital, and the top nightspots offer abundant chances to mingle with Bollywood superstars.

A trip to the designer ateliers in Phoenix Mills might be appropriate if you hope to gain entry to more exclusive bars and clubs. Note that a 25 per cent tax is applied to liquor across the city.

Regal Cinema

This nostalgic art deco picture house is a prime location to catch the release of a new Bollywood blockbuster, when queues often stretch around the block.

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Restaurants in Mumbai (Bombay)

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Mumbai has no shortage of glamorous eateries catering to millionaire financiers and movie stars, but there’s plenty for travellers on more modest budgets. Seek out the city’s nostalgic Parsi restaurants, run by the descendants of refugees from Iran, or try the city’s famous bhelpuri (noodle salad) from the food stalls at Girgaum Chowpatty beach.

Other top options for cheap eats include the old-fashioned traveller cafés along Colaba Causeway, and the street stalls feeding crowds of hungry office workers at Nariman Point.

Golden Dragon

Taj Mahal Palace, Apollo Bunder 400001 Mumbai India Show on map

Price: Expensive

The lavish interior lives up to the name at this superior Chinese restaurant at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel; appropriate to the setting, the food is divine.

Indigo

4 Mandlik Road, Colaba 400001 Mumbai India Show on map

Price: Expensive

Pet project of renowned chef Rahul Akerkar, Indigo creates fabulous modern European fusions in a nostalgic colonial bungalow near the harbour.

Calendar of events

Banganga Music Festival

Banganga Festival is celebrated for two days in the picturesque Malabar Hills and takes it name from a sacred water tank in Walkeshwar Temple link to the legends of Lord Ram.This is celebrated with a cultural extravaganza with the focus on live classical music concerts.

Kala Ghoda Festival

Held in the Kala Ghoda area of south Mumbai, this nine-day arts festival is becoming increasingly popular and offers dance, music, theatre, cinema, workshops, heritage walks, food and more.

McDowell's Indian Derby

3 February 2019

Venue: Mahalaxmi Racecourse

First staged in 1942, this is one of the premier sporting events in the city and one of the biggest events on Mumbai’s social calendar.

Holi

March 2019

Venue: Throughout the city

Hindu festival of harvest and fertility when the streets are overrun with people bombarding each other (and stray tourists) with brightly coloured powder and water.

Independence Day

15 August 2019

Venue: Throughout the city

National holiday to celebrate India’s independence from British rule.

Ganesh Chaturthi

2 September 2019

Venue: Climaxes on Chowpatty Beach

Mumbai’s biggest festival held in celebration of Ganesh, the elephant-headed deity and god of wisdom and prosperity. The festival’s colourful climax involves thousands of people converging on the seashore to submerge their Ganesh statues in the sea.

All information subject to change. Please check the dates on the relevant event organizer’s website.

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Hotels in Mumbai (Bombay)

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Mumbai has hotels to match every budget, from modest backpacker hotels in Colaba to the elegant heights of the Taj Mahal Palace. Reflecting Mumbai’s status as financial capital, room rates are some of the highest in India, particularly at the

lower end of the spectrum. With more money to spend, the city’s 5-star hotels offer truly lavish rooms and some of India’s finest restaurants, plus the obligatory rooftop bar.

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel

Apollo Bunder 400001 Mumbai India Show on map

Category: Expensive

Those who can afford it stay at the Taj Mahal Palace, where elegant restaurants and opulent rooms hide behind a glorious colonial-era facade overlooking Mumbai Harbour.

7 days forecast

Climate & best time to visit India

The weather is mainly hot most of the year with significant variations from region to region. The coolest weather lasts from around the end of November to the beginning of March, with fresh mornings and evenings, and mostly sunny days. The really hot weather, when it is dry, dusty and unpleasant, is between March and June. Monsoon rains occur in most regions in summer anywhere between June and early October.

Western Himalayas: Srinagar is best from March to October; July to August can be cold and damp in winter. Shimla is higher and therefore colder in winter. Places like Gulmarg, Manali and Pahalgam are usually under several feet of snow from December to March and temperatures in Ladakh, which is a high-altitude desert, can be extremely cold. The mountain passes of Ladakh are accessible from July to October.

Northern Plains: Cities like New Delhi, Varanasi, Lucknow and Patna experience an extreme range of temperatures and are typically warm from April to mid-June, falling to almost freezing at night in winter between November and February. Summers are hot with monsoons between June and September.

Central India: Madhya Pradesh state escapes the very worst of the hot season, but monsoons are heavy between July and September. Temperatures fall at night in winter.

Western India: November to February is most comfortable, although evenings can be fairly cold. Summers can be extremely hot with monsoon rainfall between mid June and mid September.

Eastern India: Weather in states like Orissa (which is flood-prone) are defined by cooler weather from October to February, scorching heat from March to May and unavoidable drenching from the monsoons from June to October.

Southwest: The most pleasant weather is from November to March. Monsoon rains fall anywhere between late April and July. Summer temperatures are not as high as Northern India although humidity is extreme. The coast benefits from some cooling breezes. Inland, Mysore and Bijapur have pleasant climates with relatively low rainfall.

Southeast: Tamil Nadu experiences a northeast monsoon between October and December and temperatures and humidity are high all year. The hills can be cold in winter.

Northeast: March to June and September to November are the driest and most pleasant periods. The rest of the year has extremely heavy monsoon rainfall.

Phone calls & Internet

Mobile Telephone

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to major towns but is increasing all the time.

Internet

The internet can be reliably accessed from an increasing number of hotels and from internet cafés across the country, many now with Wi-Fi.

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Shopping in Mumbai (Bombay)

Key Areas

Mumbaikers love to shop, and many streets double as open-air bazaars, with stalls selling everything from gramophones to sequined sandals. For souvenirs and knick-knacks, take a wander along Colaba Causeway, or check out the air-conditioned emporiums around the Taj Mahal Palace hotel. For a glitzier shopping experience, explore the malls, jewellery stores and department stores of Parel, Worli and Bandra.

Markets

Mumbai’s most famous market, Crawford Market (Lokmanya Tilak Marg) was designed by Rudyard Kipling’s father, and its covered main arcade is one of the best places to buy the city’s famous Alphonso mangoes. The adjacent Mangaldas market

specialises in fabrics, saris and gleaming steel cookpots, while the neighbouring Chor Bazaar has stalls selling rescued bric-a-brac and the occasional antique treasure.

Shopping Centres

Mumbai has gone mall crazy in recent years, and the city’s glitziest shopping centres would hold their own in London or New York. High Street Phoenix in Lower Parel is the most glamorous address, with boutiques run by India’s leading fashion designers. Other megamalls are scattered around the suburbs; try Sobo Central in Worli, R City in Ghatkopar, or the Oberoi Mall in Goregaon East.

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Traveller etiquette

Social Conventions

The traditional Hindu greeting is to fold the hands, tilt the head forward and say namaste. Indian women generally prefer not to shake hands. All visitors are asked to remove footwear when entering places of religious worship. Most Indians also remove their footwear when entering their homes; visitors should follow suit.

Many Hindus are vegetarian and many, especially women, do not drink alcohol. Most Sikhs and Parsis do not smoke. Women are expected to dress modestly and men should also dress respectfully. Women should not wear short skirts and tight or revealing clothing, although there is a more casual approach to clothing in Goa.

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Health

Food & Drink

Water for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should first be boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is often unpasteurised and should be boiled. Avoid dairy products likely to have been made from non-boiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Do not eat salads, vegetables should be cooked and peel your own fruit. Don’t eat street vendor food unless it is piping hot. Tap water is not safe to drink, rely on bottled water which is widely available. However, do check the seal on bottled water.

Other Risks

Vaccinations are sometimes advised for hepatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis, tuberculosis (for infants), polio and typhoid. Dengue and malaria are both caused by mosquito bites and are prevalent in hot and humid conditions. There are occasional, seasonal outbreaks of dengue fever. Travellers should vigilantly protect themselves against mosquito bites.

Even seasoned travellers may find themselves at the mercy of travellers’ diarrhoea. Hygiene standards vary. If possible, travel around with soap or antibacterial gel in order to clean your hands. The culprits that cause diarrhoea are often the microorganisms found in local water supplies, so decrease your chances by

drinking bottled or boiled water. You can have alcoholic drinks but say no to ice. Drink carbonated beverages or those with only boiled water like coffee and tea.

Carry rehydration solution packets, Pepto Bismol or Imodium in case you are afflicted. Before your travel, seek medical advice about what to take for self-treatment.

Wear adequate sunscreen or do like the locals to beat the heat and avoid the sun between 1200 and 1600 when it is at its harshest; don a cotton kameez to keep covered and cool.

Note: All visitors aged between 18 and 70 years of age wishing to extend their visa for one year or more are required to take an AIDS test.

Contractual physician of Lufthansa

Please note that Lufthansa accepts no responsibility for the treatment nor will it bear the cost of any treatment.

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Visa & Immigration

IATA Travel Centre

The IATA Travel Centre delivers accurate passport, visa and health requirement information at a glance. It is a trusted, centralized source for the latest international travel requirements. The IATA Travel Centre is the most accurate source available because it is based on a comprehensive database used by virtually every airline, and information is gathered from official sources worldwide, such as immigration and police authorities.